Pinch-bar



1-. J. SMITH.

PINGH BAR.

(No ModeL) Patented Set. 29, 1885.

Zv g'Zgaesses Md %WW Nirnn ST TES ,FREDRICK J. SMITH, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

PlNCH-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,029, datedSeptember 29, 1885.

Application filed March it, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom i2: may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIOK J. SMITH, of Chicago, county of G ok, andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ina Pinch-Bar, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription that will enable others to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

Thisinvention relates to that class of pinchbars more especiallyintended to be used in moving railway-cars; and the same consists ofcertain novel features in the construction and combination of parts, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing a practical application of mydevice; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a horizontallongitudinal section in the plane 3 3, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, a view inperspective of a detachable fulcrunrblock, and Fig. 5 shows a detachableforked guide or guard.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the handle, and B the head endof the bar, both being forged in one solid piece. The toe a may be ofthe form or shape shown, or of any other form or outline that willafford a better result. The under side of the head is enlarged with adownward curve to form the heel a, and at the same time to give the barthe necessary strength required at this point.

The bar is provided with the recess C,which starts in from the underside of the head and passes upward until a sufficient depth is secured,and then stops short in the bar.

The fulcrum-block D is beveled at both ends to provide the sharpbitiugedge a", and is adapted to be inserted in the recess 0 in themanner illustrated in Fig. 2, one end of the block projecting far enoughbelow the bar to form the fulcrum bearing or bite on the surface of therail E.

The flattened head a of the guide or guard F is also adapted to beinserted in the recess 0, and bears against one side of thefulcrumblock, as shown in Fig. 2. The forked ends a a project downwardand embrace each side of the rail, and serve to prevent the bar fromslipping off from the rail as the car is moved forward and the barshifted to a new position.

It is generally a well-known fact that it is a very ditficult matter tokeep a pinch bar on the rail and obtain a bite quickly enough to preventthe car from running back, and thus losing a great part of the laborexpended. By the construction and arrangement shown and described it isimpossible for the bar to slip off from the rail, and the wheel of thecar is closely followed and blocked against a back move ment.

The head of the bar is provided on one side of the recess 0 with theaperture b, which passes entirely through from side to side and opensinto the recess. In this aperture is inserted the tapering locking-pinb. This pin is of a semicircular form in cross-section, and is insertedso as to bring the fiat side to bear against the flat surface of thefulcrum-block, I

and thus wedge the block and guide-fork firmly in place.

WVhen one end of the fulcrum-block has become dulled, it may be turnedend for end, and if worn so as to be a little too short to do goodservice, the same may be lengthened by placing a lining or backing inthe bottom of the recess. A numberof these fulcrum-blocks may beprovided with each bar, so that a dulled one may be instantly replacedby a serviceable one and no time lost in waiting for a dull one to bedressed.

By this construction it will be observed that there is no strain on thelocking-pin, but all strain must be on the bar proper and thefulcrum-point.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pinch-bar consisting of a handle and an enlarged head forgedin onepiece, and provided with a recess starting in from the under side ofsaid bar and stopping short therein, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. A pinch-bar provided in the head end with a recess starting in fromthe under side and an aperture passing through said head 9 from side toside and opening on one side into said recess, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a pinch-bar provided with a recess starting infrom the under side and an aperture extending clear through the head ofsaid bar, of a fulcrum-b1ock removably inserted in said recess and atapering pin having one side flattened and inserted in said aperture,whereby said fulcrum-block is locked in place, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with a pinch-bar provided with a recess andaperture, as described, of a fulcrun1-bl0ck, and a guide-fork removablyinserted in said recess, and a locking-pin inserted in said aperture andbearing on one side against the flat surface of said fulcrumblock,whereby the latter and the guide-fork are firmly secured in place,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 5. The combination, with a pinch-bar provided with a recess in theheel, of a guidefork having the flattened head end inserted in saidrecess,whi1e the forked ends extend down on each side of the rail, andthe means de- 20 scribed for removably securing said guide-fork inrelation to said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

FREDRICK J. SMITH.

\Vitnesses: I

L. M. FREEMAN, V. STANWOOD.

